Jessica Livingston

Quotes are word for word from the source.

• The social radar

  “I was one of those kids that you just couldn't get anything past. If something seemed off or out of character, I noticed and made inquiries.”

  Our noteJessica explains her ability to read subtle social cues and people's characters.

• Desire for independence

  “I never liked being at the mercy of anyone else. I hated anyone telling me what to do or not do”

  Our noteJessica discusses her innate drive for autonomy and dislike of being controlled.

• Benefits of batches

  “They had colleagues to help them during what had previously been a very lonely process. But it was also a much more efficient way for us to help the startups”

  Our noteJessica reflects on why the batch model worked for both founders and investors.

• Evaluating founder character

  “I looked at qualities of the applicants my cofounders couldn't see. Did they seem earnest? Were they determined? Were they flexible-minded?”

  Our noteShe describes her role as the 'Social Radar' when selecting startups to fund.

• Ignore mainstream opinion

  “Don't pay attention to the mainstream's opinion of what you're doing - whether it's your skills, your idea or whatever . Unless they're your users, their opinion does not matter.”

  Our noteLivingston advises founders to filter out noise from people who aren't actually using the product.

• Choosing a cofounder

  “Find a cofounder with complementary skills, but the same moral compass as you . Paul and I had the perfect combination of skills to start something like YC.”

  Our noteShe emphasizes the importance of shared values and diverse skills in a founding team.

• Low expenses buy time

  “Low expenses buy you time. And you'll need more time than you think. Even if you have a great idea, you usually need at least a few months to work out the kinks.”

  Our noteExplaining why founders should live cheaply in the early stages of a startup.

• Performance vs appearance

  “the less energy people expend on performance, the more they expend on appearances to compensate.”

  Our noteJessica observes how people compensate for a lack of actual results.

• Team over idea

  “Venture capitalists, with the exception of people like Don Valentine, would tell you that they'd rather fund a great team than a great idea.”

  Our noteJessica explains why investors prioritize the quality of the founding team.

• Early productivity

  “The earliest phase is usually the most productive. That's when they have the really big ideas.”

  Our noteJessica compares the speed of startups to sprinters.